Page 111 of Savage King

"What?" I ask. My voice sounds muffled through the blanket.

"There's like a whole garrison of guards here," Gigi explains. "Way more than normal."

Oh shit.

"Maybe we should forget about the whole thing," I suggest, feeling queasy. This is starting to feel more and more like a big mistake. If Antonio got more guards, that means he must be worried about something.

"We're already at the gate," Gigi says, followed by the sound of her rolling down her window.

"Good afternoon, Miss DeLuna." A male voice says.

"Good afternoon, Al, just running down to the pharmacy," she replies. "Is everything all right?"

"You know the boss's orders, Miss DeLuna." I can almost see his head shaking while saying this.

"Oh, for crying out loud, I'll be back in ten minutes. Fifteen, tops." Gigi argues.

"I'll have guards ready to accompany you in one minute, please wait." Al is not to be deterred. Sweat builds under my armpits. Does that mean Antonio's soldiers will join us?

"Fine, but they're not riding in my car," Gigi sounds exasperated.

Not even a minute goes by before I hear the roaring of two engines.

"Tell them to stay behind me," Gigi says, putting her foot on the gas. The SUV takes off like a rocket.

"Alright, come on out, but stay low, we have company," Gigi announces after a few seconds.

"Maybe it’s better if I stay in the back," I suggest, turning to look out of the rearview window and seeing two black Escalades behind us.

"Yeah, those guys sure are some party poopers."

"Antonio is worried," I caution, and another wave of sweat breaks out over my body. This was a bad idea. Very bad. There is a reason Antonio ordered Gigi to stay at the mansion for the time being. Marcello was just gunned down. "Maybe we should just call it a day?"

"They'll get suspicious if we do that now. We're almost there anyway," Gigi says, taking a sharp right turn. True to her word, the small town of Warwick comes into view. She's about to make a left turn when several more black SUVs come into view ahead of us.

"Oh for fuck's sake!" Gigi exclaims, hitting the gas.

I keep my eyes out the back, wondering why Antonio would send more cars when one of the SUVs behind is about to make a left turn like us. Only it doesn't make it. One of the large vehicles ahead of us slams right into it, T-boning it. The impact is so hard that both vehicles slide to the sides, and one rolls down an embankment. I let out a stifled scream while Gigi curses.

"Better get buckled in, this is going to be a rough ride," she advises coolly.

However, her perceived coolness evaporates when the second SUV behind us is hit by something and engulfed in flames. "What the fuck?"

"Shit," I mutter, pulling the seatbelt on just like Gigi advised, while she hits the gas. She goes down Main Street at over ninetymiles an hour, and I pray she won't hit any of the many people milling around.

"Call Antonio," Gigi says, making a sharp left.

I fumble for my phone and, with shaking fingers, press his number.

"Hey, I was just?—"

"We're in trouble," I cry out.

"Where are you?"

"Warwick," I push out, just as Gigi makes a right that pushes my head into the window and pulls the seatbelt tight.

"Fuck! Stay on the phone. Vito," he yells.

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